Bushing system

Abstract

A bushing system for isolating movement of a rotatable member from a releasable fastener used to secure the member to a support structure. The rotatable member may be a strap and the support structure may include a wall of a boot or a binding. The bushing may include a shaft having, at one end, a network of rotation resistant radially extending teeth or interlocks that cooperates with a complementary network of interlocks provided in the support structure about a mounting hole. The interlocks may have rounded or angled sidewalls that converge at a tip to encourage the bushing and support structure to mesh together. The tip is preferably substantially pointed with a fine edge, a rounded edge or a substantially narrow flat edge. A bore through the shaft is adapted to receive a screw or other fastener for securing the bushing to the support structure at the mounting hole. The bushing extends through an opening in the strap mounting the strap for rotation relative to the support structure. Engagement of the interlocks renders the bushing nonrotatable, isolating the strap from the fastener so that strap rotation does not loosen the fastening connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bushing system comprising: a bushing including a first end, a second end and a shaft portion therebetween, said shaft portion including an outer surface and having a borehole through which a releasable fastener may extend, said first end of said bushing being configured with a first network of radially extending interlock teeth, wherein each of said first network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a pair of sidewalls that converge into a substantially pointed tip;   a support structure having at least one mounting hole for receiving the fastener extending through said bushing, a portion of said support structure surrounding said mounting hole including a second network of radially extending interlock teeth, wherein each of said second network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a pair of sidewalls that converge into a substantially pointed tip; and   a member rotatable mountable about said outer surface of said shaft portion, wherein said first network of radially extending interlock teeth engages with said second network of radially extending interlock teeth, preventing inadvertent loosening of the fastener when said member is rotated about said shaft portion.   
     
     
       2. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially pointed tip of each radially extending interlock tooth includes a fine edge. 
     
     
       3. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially pointed tip of each radially extending interlock tooth includes a rounded edge. 
     
     
       4. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially pointed tip of each radially extending interlock tooth includes a substantially narrow flat edge. 
     
     
       5. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein adjacent teeth of said first network of radially extending interlock teeth are contiguous and adjacent teeth of said second network of radially extending interlock teeth are contiguous. 
     
     
       6. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein said pair of sidewalls for each of said first and second networks of radially extending interlock teeth has an angle therebetween from approximately 10° to approximately 80°. 
     
     
       7. The bushing system recited in claim 6, wherein said angle is approximately 75°. 
     
     
       8. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein each of said sidewalls includes a cam surface, said cam surfaces of said first and second networks of radially extending interlock teeth cooperating with each other to align said bushing and said mounting hole so that said first and second networks of radially extending interlock teeth fully engage with each other when said bushing is secured to said support structure. 
     
     
       9. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein said first network of radially extending teeth extends across at least a portion of said first end of said bushing between said borehole and said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       10. The bushing system recited in claim 9, wherein each of said first network of radially extending interlock teeth includes an inner edge and an outer edge, said inner edge being defined by said borehole and said outer edge being adjacent said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       11. The bushing system recited in claim 10, wherein said outer edge of each of said first network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a chamfer. 
     
     
       12. The bushing system recited in claim 9, wherein said second network of radially extending interlock teeth extends across at least a portion of said support structure between said mounting hole and said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       13. The bushing system recited in claim 12, wherein each of said second network of radially extending interlock teeth includes an inner edge and an outer edge, said inner edge being defined by said mounting hole and said outer edge being disposed adjacent said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       14. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein each interlock tooth of said first and second networks of radially extending interlock teeth has the same shape. 
     
     
       15. The bushing system recited in claim 14, wherein each interlock tooth of said first and second networks of radially extending interlock teeth has an outer edge and an inner edge, each interlock tooth having a height that decreases in a direction from said outer edge toward said inner edge. 
     
     
       16. The bushing system recited in claim 14, wherein said first and second networks of radially extending interlock teeth have equal numbers of interlock teeth. 
     
     
       17. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein said second network of radially extending interlock teeth are substantially flush with or recessed below an outer surface of said support structure. 
     
     
       18. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein said bushing includes a head disposed at said second end, said member to be retained between said head and said support structure. 
     
     
       19. The bushing system recited in claim 18, wherein said member has a thickness, said head being spaced from said support structure by a distance therebetween that is not less than said member thickness to allow rotation of said member on said bushing. 
     
     
       20. The bushing system recited in claim 18, wherein said head of said bushing has a counterbore for receiving a head of the fastener. 
     
     
       21. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein said support structure is a snowboard binding baseplate for being mounted to a snowboard, said second network of radially extending interlock teeth being disposed on a sidewall of said snowboard binding baseplate, and wherein said member is a snowboard binding strap that extends across a portion of said snowboard binding baseplate. 
     
     
       22. The bushing system recited in claim 1, wherein said support structure is a boot shell and said member is a boot strap extending across a portion of said boot shell. 
     
     
       23. A bushing system comprising: a bushing including a first end, a second end and a shaft portion therebetween, said shaft portion including an outer surface and having a borehole through which a releasable fastener may extend, said first end of said bushing being configured with a first network of interlock members;   a support structure having at least one mounting hole for receiving the fastener extending through said bushing, a portion of said support structure surrounding said mounting hole including a second network of interlock members, wherein each of said second network of interlock members is substantially flush with or disposed below an outer surface of said support structure; and   a member rotatably mountable about said outer surface of said shaft portion, wherein said first network of interlock members engages with said second network of interlock members, preventing inadvertent loosening of the fastener when said member is rotated about said shaft portion.   
     
     
       24. The bushing system recited in claim 23, wherein each of said first and second network of interlock members includes a cam surface, said cam surfaces of said first and second networks of interlock members cooperating with each other to align said bushing and said mounting hole so that said first and second networks of interlock members fully engage with each other when said bushing is secured to said support structure. 
     
     
       25. The bushing system recited in claim 23, wherein said first network of interlock members extends across at least a portion of said first end of said bushing between said borehole and said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       26. The bushing system recited in claim 25, wherein each of said first network of interlock members includes an inner edge and an outer edge, said inner edge being defined by said borehole and said outer edge being adjacent said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       27. The bushing system recited in claim 26, wherein said outer edge of each of said first network of interlock members includes a chamfer. 
     
     
       28. The bushing system recited in claim 25, wherein said second network of interlock members extends radially across at least a portion of said support structure between said mounting hole and said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       29. The bushing system recited in claim 28, wherein each of said second network of interlock members includes an inner edge and an outer edge, said inner edge being defined by said mounting hole and said outer edge being disposed adjacent said outer surface of said shaft portion. 
     
     
       30. The bushing system recited in claim 23, wherein each interlock member of said first and second networks of interlock members is a triangular-shaped tooth. 
     
     
       31. The bushing system recited in claim 23 wherein each interlock member of said first and second networks of interlock members has the same shape. 
     
     
       32. The bushing system recited in claim 31, wherein each interlock member of said first and second networks of interlock members has an outer edge and an inner edge, each interlock member having a height that decreases in a direction from said outer edge toward said inner edge. 
     
     
       33. The bushing system recited in claim 31, wherein said first and second networks of interlock members have equal numbers of interlock members. 
     
     
       34. The bushing system recited in claim 23 wherein each interlock member of said first and second networks of interlock members has a substantially pointed tip. 
     
     
       35. The bushing system recited in claim 23, wherein said bushing includes a head disposed at said second end, said member to be retained between said head and said support structure. 
     
     
       36. The bushing system recited in claim 35, wherein said member has a thickness, said head being spaced from said support structure by a distance therebetween that is not less than said member thickness to allow rotation of said member on said bushing. 
     
     
       37. The bushing system recited in claim 35, wherein said head of said bushing has a counterbore for receiving a head of the fastener. 
     
     
       38. The bushing system recited in claim 23, wherein said support structure is a snowboard binding baseplate for being mounted to a snowboard, said second network of interlock members being disposed on a sidewall of said snowboard binding baseplate, and wherein said member is a snowboard binding strap that extends across a portion of said snowboard binding baseplate. 
     
     
       39. The bushing system recited in claim 23, wherein said support structure is a boot shell and said member is a boot strap extending across a portion of said boot shell. 
     
     
       40. A bushing system for releasably mounting a snowboard binding strap for rotation to a snowboard binding, said bushing system comprising: a snowboard binding strap;   a bushing including a first end, a second end and a shaft portion therebetween, said shaft portion including an outer surface about which the snowboard binding strap may be mounted for rotation and having a borehole through which a releasable fastener may extend, said first end of said bushing being configured with a first network of radially extending interlock teeth, wherein each of said first network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a pair of sidewalls that converge into a substantially pointed tip; and   a snowboard binding including a baseplate for mounting to a snowboard, said baseplate having at least one mounting hole for receiving the fastener extending through said bushing, a portion of said baseplate surrounding said mounting hole including a second network of radially extending interlock teeth that is substantially flush with or recessed below an outer surface of said baseplate, wherein each of said second network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a pair of sidewalls that converge into a substantially pointed tip;   wherein said first network of radially extending interlock teeth engage with said second network of radially extending interlock teeth, preventing inadvertent loosening of the fastener when the snowboard binding strap is rotated about said shaft portion.   
     
     
       41. A bushing system for releasably mounting a strap for rotation to a boot, said bushing system comprising: a boot strap;   a bushing including a first end, a second end and a shaft portion therebetween, said shaft portion defining an outer surface about which said boot strap may be mounted for rotation and having a borehole through which a releasable fastener may extend, said first end of said bushing being configured with a first network of radially extending interlock teeth, wherein each of said first network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a pair of sidewalls that converge into a substantially pointed tip; and   a boot shell having at least one mounting opening for receiving the fastener extending through said bushing, a portion of said boot shell surrounding said mounting opening including a second network of radially extending interlock teeth that is substantially flush with or recessed below an outer surface of said boot shell, wherein each of said second network of radially extending interlock teeth includes a pair of sidewalls that converge into a substantially pointed tip;   wherein said first network of radially extending interlock teeth engage with said second network of radially extending interlock teeth, preventing inadvertent loosening of the fastener when said boot strap is rotated about said shaft portion.